To any who are not aware, in 1998 the Department of Health placed a moratorium on expansion projects due to lack of a water tower and now due to public safety issues and the fact that is part of the water consolidation project we have to erect the tower.

The Great News is, I received a call from Governor Cuomo's Office today notifying me that after two years of applying for a grant to build the water tower our town has been awarded $2.9M, which is one of the largest awards from Governor's Cuomo Clean Water Infrastructure Funding. The total cost the project is approximately $4.8M, and with the grant we will only have to pay 40% of the project cost.

Words cannot express how grateful I am for our town to be awarded this grant, our community and our residents needed this break! Thank you Governor Cuomo for providing funding for clean water projects and for choosing to fund our water tower project.

Thank you to Bernie and Anthony Rotella, our town’s grant writers, Roberta Rappoccio, Town Planner and Steve Tanner from Clark Patterson Lee Engineering for all the work on the grant application.

Mary HoslerSupervisorTown of Evans

NEW YORK STATEEXCELSIOREVER UPWARD

For Immediate Release: 11/14/2018 Governor Andrew M. Cuomo

GOVERNOR CUOMO AWARDS MORE THAN $23 MILLION IN GRANTS FOR WATER INFRASTRUCTURE IMPROVEMENTS IN WESTERN NEW YORK

Grants Leverage $70 Million in Water Quality Investments, Providing $48 Million in Savings for Taxpayers

Investment Will Support the Creation of More Than New 1,100 Jobs

Governor Andrew M. Cuomo today announced $23.3 million in grants to support 14 critical municipal water infrastructure projects in Western New York. This funding represents $47.9 million in taxpayer savings and supports the creation of more than 1,100 jobs. The grants are funded through the state's highly successful Water Infrastructure Improvement Act program.

"Investing in our state's water infrastructure is critical to regional growth and prosperity and maintaining safe, healthy communities, "Governor Cuomo said. "By improving our water infrastructure, we are protecting our natural resources, laying the groundwork for future prosperity and helping to create a stronger, healthier, New York for all."

It's critical that we ensure our drinking water is free of contaminants and safe for all New Yorkers, “ said Lieutenant Governor Kathy Hochul. “This investment in grants for infrastructure improvements in Western New York will address needs to enhance and protect water quality, and also help to create more than 1000 jobs in the area. We want to make sure that communities have the resources they need to make upgrades to their water treatment systems and ensure the health and safety of residents.”

The Governor's Clean Water Infrastructure Act of 2017 dedocatd $2.5 billion for water quality protection across New York. Today's announcement is part of a statwide total of $270 million in grants being awarded to communities, including over $19 million to support projects that address cyanotoxins associated with harmful algal blooms (HAB), and previously announced grants totaling $15 million for projects addressing emerging contaminants such as PFOA, PPFOS, and 1,4 dioxane.

To date, $750 million in Water Infrastructure Improvement Grant funding supports nearly $2.65 billion in total project costs for vital drinking and wastewater infrastructure projects statewide. Combined with zero-or-low-interest financings through the State Environmental Facilities Corporation, New York taxpayers will save nearly $1.8 billion Furthermore, these projects are expected to support more than 47,000 jobs in the construction, supplier and service sectors.

The Western New York region municipalities receiving grants, including nearly $3 million for a project addressing HAB's are:

WIIA GRANT

Awards

County

Estimated ProjectCost

Estimated GrantAward

DrinkingWater

Alfred, Village of

Allegany

$4,836,000

$2,901600

CleanWater

Alfred, Village of

Allegany

$1,964,000

$491,000

CleanWater

Amherst, Town of

Erie

$4,877,586

$1,219,937

DrinkingWater

Chautauqua County

Chautauqua

$11,750,000

$3,000,000

+CleanWater

Chautauqua County

Chautauqua

$11,888,000

$2,972,000

DrinkingWater

Erie County Water Authority

Erie

$5,921,820

$1,722,159

DrinkingWater

Evans, Town of

Erie

$4,830,000

$2,898,000

DrinkingWater

Newstead, Town of

Erie

$1,325,000

$795,000

DrinkingWater

Niagara Falls Water Board

Niagara

$5,495,000

$2,760,000

CleanWater

North Tonawanda, City of

Niagara

$5,899,450

$1,474,863

DrinkingWater

Olean, City of

Cattaraugus

$689,290

$413,574

CleanWater

Royalton, Town of

Niagara

$1,032,700

$258,175

CleanWater

Silver Creek, Village of

Chautauqua

$3,487,000

$871,750

CleanWater

Sloan, Village of

Erie

$6,084,891

$1,521,223

TOTALS:

$70,080,737

$23,298,741

+HAB's Related Project

New York State Environmental Facilities Corporation President and CEO Sabrina Ty said, "Under Governor Cuomo, New York State is leading the nationin water infrastructure investment. The Environmental Facilities Corporationis proud to be able to provide significant funding to communities in need. We're helping to secure a critically important resource for both current and future New Yorkers."

New York State Department of Environment Conservation Commissioner Basil Seggos said, "At Governor Cuomo's direction, New York continues to be an environmental leader in protecting our precious water resources. This funding will improve water quality, promote economic development, and provide much-needed water infrastructure improvements as we combat emerging water quality issues including harmful algal blooms and contaminants like PFOA, PFOS, and 1-4 dioxane.

New York STate Health Commissioner Dr. Howard A. Zucker said, "At the direction of Govern Cuomo, New York State has committed unprecedented funding to implement the infrastructure upgrades and state-of-the-art filtration technology that safeguards clean and efficient drinking water for decades to come. Protecting our water resources is an essential part of maintaining the health and well-being of communities statewide."

###

Additional news available at www.governor.ny.govNew York State / Executive Chamber/ This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. / 518.474.8418

New HEAP office opens in Erie County

Erie County residents now have a new place to go to when looking for help paying their heating bills and for other emergency needs.

The county's new HEAP and Emergency Services Offices opened Tuesday, October 23rd on the 2nd floor at 460 Main Street downtown.

The office will will be one-stop shopping for issues such as shelter and utility arrears, evictions, security agreements, moving and storage assistance.

Every year, 90,000 residents reach out for help paying their heating bills.HEAP help will be available starting November 13.If you're looking for more information, the office is open from 8 A.M.-4 P.M. Monday through Friday and can be reached at 858-7644.

Green Alternatives to Burning Leaves That Help Keep Our Air Clean

Shredding your leaves with a mulchingmower will reduce their volume andspeed up decomposition time.

Option 1: Create Valuable Compost from Your Leaves

A big pile of leaves will decompose, but very slowly. To speed things up, see our home composting guide and "Everything you wanted to know about home composting" (Important links at right).

Leaf volume and decomposition time can be greatly reduced by shredding. Rake dry leaves into low piles and mow over them several times with a mulching mower. Up to ¾" deep of shredded leaves can be applied to your lawn. You can add shredded leaves to your compost pile, and use the compost in the spring.

Option 2: Use Leaves as Mulch

This healthy and beautiful garden is mulchedwith composted leaves from thesurrounding forest.

In the vegetable garden

Use leaves to cover bare soil in your vegetable garden during the winter and to protect cold-hardy vegetables like carrots, kale, leeks and beets for extended winter harvest. In the spring, you can turn the leaves into the soil.

Decaying leaves use up soil nitrogen, so add an organic source of slow-release nitrogen, like composted animal manure, before planting.

In the flower garden

Shredded leaves make good mulch for garden beds and are less likely to blow around. The leaves will gradually turn into compost, enriching your soil.

If you prefer the look of bark mulch, cover bare soil with shredded leaves first, then a top layer of bark mulch.

Keep total mulch depth to three inches or less and don't let mulch touch tree trunks or the base of shrubs as this can encourage pests and disease.

Option 3: Municipal Composting

Some communities compost yard wasteand allow residents to take the finishedcompost.

Your community may offer curbside collection of leaves, or allow residents to bring leaves to a central location. Leaves are then composted and the compost made available to the public. Ask your local recycling coordinator if this is an option in your community as not all landfills will accept yard waste.Town of Evans will begin collecting your leaves at the Town Park on October 27th.Watch for the ad in the October 20th Angola Pennysaver.

Not an Option: Burning

It is illegal to burn leaves anywhere in New York State. Brush of a certain size may be burned. See the burning regulations FAQs for details.

What's Wrong with Burning?

The smoke from burning leaves contains dangerous compounds.

The smoke can irritate anyone's lungs, but it is especially harmful to children, the elderly and anyone with respiratory or cardiovascular disease.

Free Sport Fishing Events are family fishing clinics where participants can fish for free; no freshwater fishing license or enrollment in the Recreational Marine Fishing Registry is required. In addition to fishing, participants can learn about fish identification, fishing equipment and techniques, fisheries management, angling ethics and aquatic ecology. In addition to the Free Sport Fishing Events, June 23-24, 2018 is Free Fishing Weekend in NY. February 17-18, 2018 and November 11, 2018 have also been newly designated as Free Fishing Days. During these days, anyone can fish the fresh waters of NY and no license is required! Click below for a listing of Designated Events throughout NYS for 2018.

The sport of fishing is one of the best ways to connect people of all ages to the outdoor world. Attending a fishing clinic can provide a great introduction to the sport and provide answers to the many questions you may have. Approved free sportfishing clinics waive the requirement of participants to possess a fishing license or enroll in the Recreational Marine Fishing Registry (during program hours only). All other applicable fishing regulations remain in effect during an event. Organizations or groups interested in conducting a free sportfishing clinic should fill out the Application to Conduct a Free Sportfishing Clinic (PDF) (278 KB) at least 30 days prior to the planned event. Click below for the NYS guidelines that Events must be conducted by.

♦96 Gallon Recycling Containers must have the handles facingtowards your home.♦The containers will not be emptied if the handlesare not facing towards you home.♦The little blue bins will not be emptied - use only the large recycling containers.

The Town of Evans and Belmont Housing Resources of WNY will partner to offer free housing and financial services to local residents on a monthly basis. A Belmont Housing Program Manager will be on hand at Evans Town Hall from 9 a.m. to 12 p.m. to meet one-on-one with residents. To make a reservation to meet with a Belmont Housing Specialist, please call 884-7791

This initiative is part of the Town’s focus on reducing the number of at-risk properties in the community. The Town Board recently formed the Evans at Risk & Vacant Property Task Force, made up of Town officials and community stakeholders, to develop foreclosure and abandonment prevention strategies. “It is important to provide the tools to our residents that support successful homeownership,” said Supervisor Mary Hosler. “The financial education services that Belmont offers benefit seasoned homeowners as well as first-time homebuyers,” she said.

Belmont Housing Resources for WNY is a comprehensive HUD Approved Housing Counseling Agency. Belmont counsels individuals and group audiences on a diverse quantity and complexity Belmont’s counselors all have certifications through the NCHEC, and have adopted the National Industry Standards and Code of Ethics for Housing Counseling and Foreclosure Prevention Counseling.

Due to the closing of Community Papers of WNY the Town Board at their meeting of July 27, 2016 and January 10, 2018 adopted resolutions designating the Dunkirk Observer as the Official Newspaper of the Town.

Click below for the link to the Observer's website for subscription information. → Observer

If you or someone in your household is disabled or have special needs, the people whose job it is to respond when you call for help in an emergency need to know. Whether it affects your entire community, your street or just your home, seconds can make a life or death difference. That's why we encourage you to take a minute to fill out this form below and return it to the address provided below.

For more information you can contact the Evans Police Department at 549-3600.